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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 2024.

The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Jam session @ The Jazz Café - November 21

(Review by Russell)
This was a good one, then some! A fortnight earlier the session didn’t quite take off, not so tonight. That’s the nature of the beast, jam sessions aren’t supposed to be this good. The house band, led by master musician, guitarist Mark Williams, shouldn’t be this good, but it was, and is. Newcastle’s jazz community should count itself fortunate to have these guys around – that’s Williams, mainstay bassist Paul Grainger, and the impossibly brilliant Russ Morgan, drums. Who would throw their hat into the ring tonight?
The trio opened in typically downbeat fashion. If the man wasn’t prompted, Irishman Williams more than likely wouldn’t say a word. A man of few words but a guitarist of many notes, every chord, and a few more that others can only contemplate, and it’s all done by sleight-of-hand, he ain’t in a hurry yet he leaves others trailing in his wake. An acquaintance said: Let’s listen to the trio all night, don’t bother with sitters-in. A good idea, a tempting prospect, but, those sitters-in were at the bar, ready and waiting. Three tunes from the trio – a standard, a blues (Ornette Coleman’s Turnaround) and a number Bill Frisell recorded with Dave Holland and Elvin Jones titled Strange Meeting. And if Dave Holland walked in to the Jazz Café looking to sit-in he would have to wait his turn.

It’s been a while since Stuart Findon dropped by. Stu plays inventive, sometimes bootin’, tenor, just what Dr Jazz ordered for any self-respecting jam session. 1960s Ronnie Scott’s booked most if not all the saxophone greats – Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, Zoot Sims. It’s a fair bet that Stu, had he been around at the time, would have been first in the queue on Frith Street. Out of Nowhere played with sensitivity and invention, first solo Stu, then Mark. That’ll do.         

Ray Johnson turned up with his flugelhorn and newcomer Simon Probyn, relocating to the region a matter of two or three weeks ago, arrived with tenor saxophone in hand. RJ played with his familiar warm tone and Probyn, standing alongside, revealed a similar old-school style approach. A vocalist was in the house…Simon Probyn! Don’t Get Around Much Anymore sang our newcomer. A singer, demonstrably male, Ann Alex (see Sinne Eeg post, November 6) will be pleased!

’Round about this time the next generation made its presence felt. Hazem Mohammad sat patiently waiting for the nod, he got it, with Russ Morgan making his way to the bar. The Durham boys were in town, oh yes! Alto saxophonist Dan Garel, in his final year at Durham University, brought along a first-year mathematics student, tenor player David Goldberg. An old hand, pianist Martin Waugh, put aside a bottle of Grainger Ale to join the party. Having made a 240 miles round trip from Edinburgh, Waugh couldn’t have picked a better time to acquaint himself with the Pink Lane upright with Garel in absolutely blistering form. Fresher Goldberg made an opening statement, brief, to the point, then Garel. Wow! Hang on to yer hats! DG would return for the finale.

Veteran drummer Ian Forbes got in on the action, hanging around long enough to share the stand with Garel. The modernist that Forbes is, he couldn’t be other than impressed with what was going down. Almost time to go – Now’s the Time – with the house rhythm section back in action together with Dan Garel blowing the roof off the place. The cheering and whistles from all quarters had to be heard to be believed. This alone was worth the price of admission. Admission? Can you believe it – all of this was for free? Garel a sensation, Williams brilliant, Grainger never better, and Morgan just superb. If you are yet to get along to the Jazz Café’s jam session you really don’t know what you’re missing. Next one Tuesday December 5, eight o’clock start.
Russell           
Mark Williams (guitar), Paul Grainger (double bass) & Russ Morgan (drums) + Stuart Findon (tenor saxophone), Ray Johnson (flugelhorn), Simon Probyn (tenor saxophone & vocals), Dan Garel (alto saxophone), David Goldberg (tenor saxophone), Hazem Mohammad (drums), Martin Waugh (piano), Ian Forbes (drums)

2 comments :

Unknown said...

Thanks for the mention but its Martin Waugh not Mark Waugh. Brilliant night though!

Ann Alex said...

Yes, thank goodness, a male singer, but alas I missed him as I was too tired after my folk music rehearsal!

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